A group of New York City politicians is appealing to NYU Langone, the owner of the building housing the AMC Kips Bay 15, to allow the beloved movie theater to remain open. The lawmakers expressed disappointment over the lack of communication regarding the purchase and its potential impact on the community.
State Assemblyman Keith Powers, whose district includes the theater, stated that the issue has been a significant concern for his constituents and the wider New York community. "There’s clearly something that NYU Langone does not understand about how much the neighborhood and community and, frankly, the city cares about this movie theater," Powers said.
Powers, along with Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler, sent a letter to NYU Langone on August 27 requesting a discussion about the fate of the 15-screen AMC theater. The officials also expressed hope that the neighboring Fairway supermarket could continue its operations.
The elected officials criticized NYU Langone for not informing their offices about the substantial property acquisition or providing updates on development plans, especially after facing community backlash. Powers indicated that his office and other lawmakers only became aware of the situation when AMC announced its eviction.
"We did not have any awareness of a plan for that site that would uproot a number of businesses that we really care about," Powers stated. "It’s also important for us to know what any large-scale plan in our community looks like."
Powers suggested that NYU Langone may have been withholding information from the community for over a year. The lawmakers conveyed their concerns to the healthcare provider to ensure their positions were officially recorded.
NYU Langone has not yet responded to the letter or offered any details about its plans for the theater. Representatives for NYU Langone and AMC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The building at 570 Second Avenue has a long history as a cinema, originally opening as the Kips Bay Theater in 1962. AMC took over the location in 2006, relocating from a smaller venue nearby. The theater is noted as the only IMAX cinema in the immediate area.
More than 3,200 individuals have signed an online petition advocating for the theater's preservation, with organizers arguing that the block does not require additional medical facilities.